When Should I Take My Child To Their First Dental Appointment

Every child is a parent’s delight. We dote over them, worry when they are sick and celebrate every developmental milestone of their young life. Thus, for their health and general well-being, we have their pediatricians to go to for regular check-ups and for the occasional cold or fever. But one question every parent asks is how early should my child see the dentist? When the best time and what is the ideal age for that first visit?

Dental Visits: How Soon Is Too Soon?

Ideally, your child’s first visit to the dentist should take place before they reach their first birthday or within six months from the time their first tooth erupts. Remember, tooth decay can happen anytime as soon as your child begins to grow his or her tooth or teeth. However, it is generally acceptable to do this between the ages of two to three but bringing them earlier comes with certain advantages.

But It’s Only Milk Teeth!

Oftentimes, parents harbor the mistaken notion that since baby teeth are not yet permanent and since your child will eventually lose them in due time, there isn’t much that can be done about them. Please realize, however, that even if we can’t see them, your child's permanent teeth are already developing under their baby teeth. This is why it is very important for the dentist to see at the soonest if the development of your child’s teeth is taking place in the normal way.

Getting Baby Used To The Dentist

First visits are usually about getting your child used to and being comfortable in sitting in a dentist's chair. Thus, if your child’s first visit to the dentist is done early enough, is not associated with any pains or aches and is relatively stress-free, then it will turn out to be a positive experience for your child, free from anxiety and fear. This is especially crucial so that any trauma associated with visits to the dentist can be avoided.

Should the time come for you to go to the dentist for real teeth problems, your child will now have developed an understanding and appreciation that the dentist is his or her friend.

To help in this, it is best to bring your child for his or her first dental visit to a pediatric or family dentist. These types of dentist have received additional training in treating children and understanding their psychological make-up and needs. Their clinics are also designed with children in mind and are filled with child-friendly amenities and stuff like toys and games, play areas, and prizes to make children look forward to their next visits.

Bringing your child to the dentist before any dental problem has taken place helps you take better care of your child’s teeth. You can learn, at the earliest possible time, the proper way to clean their teeth, to know their fluoride needs, prevent plaque from building-up and avoid the formation of cavities.  It is this type of positive experience with you and with their dentist at an early age that helps your child form and develop proper dental care habits as he or she grows older.

A Family Dental Care Center
2030 W. Main St.
Jeffersonville, PA 19403